Refrigeration locker assembly



May 14, 1963 T. J. Flx

REFRIGERATION LOCKER ASSEMBLY '2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 5, 1961 IN VEN TOR.

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May 14, 1963 T. J. Flx

REFRIGERATION LOCKER ASSEMBLY '2 Sheets-Sheef 2 Filed Sept. 5, 1961 ited States Patent Omce 3,089,313 Patented May 14, 1963 3,089,313 REFRIGERATIN LOCKER ASSEMBLY Thomas J. Fix, 24700 Kipling Ave., Oak Park, Mich. Filed Sept. 5, 1961, Ser. No. 136,416 1 Claim. (Cl. 62--239) This invention relates to a campers refrigeration locker, and more particularly to a series of refrigerated locker assemblies movably mountable upon a support platform.

Heretofore, campers often bring along with them or must obtain ice in one form or another, with which perishables' are stored in a makeshift manner and where refrigeration often is not effective for the intended purpose, often resulting in food spoilage.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a campers refrigeration locker assembly which is portable, on wheels and may be used in a national park or other parking area, public park or the like, and wherein there are provided a series of individual refrigeration compartments with a central refrigeration system therefore and with each compartment employing a suitable closure door normally closed, and having a coin operated locking means in conjunction therewith.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a selfcontained refrigeration locker on wheels which includes an insulated housing and arranged therein upon opposite sides a series of vertically arranged storage compartments arranged in rows with the assembly defining a central refrigeration chamber in communication at all times with the individual storage compartments and with a power operated refrigeration provided in the refrigeration chamber.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a lock mechanism in conjunction with each refrigeration door by which under coin operation, and on removal of the key, the storage compartment is protected and may be opened by use of the removable key during the period indicated on a ti-mer incorporated into the lock assembly.

These and other objects will be seen from the following specification and claim in conjunction with the appended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the present refrigeration locker assembly.

FIG. 2 is a section taken on line 2-2 of FIG. l.

FIG. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

It will be understood that the above drawings illustrate merely a preferred embodiment of the invention, and that other embodiments are contemplated Within the scope of the claims hereafter set forth.

Referring to the drawings, the present campers refrigeration locker includes a chassis, generally indicated at 11 including a horizontally disposed support platform having a top support surface 14, an axle support arrangement including the wheels 11-2 and the drawbar 13 at one end thereof fragmentarily shown by which the said refrigeration locker assembly may be drawn to a desired location.

The present refrigeration locker assembly includes an insulated housing, generally indicated at 15, which is suitably mounted and secured over the top surface 14 of the horizontal platform of the chassis 11, and which includes, as shown in FIG. -2 the spaced outer and inner walls lr6-17 with a suitable insulating medium 18 interposed therebetween. Such insulating means 18 may be of any suitable porous material of a suitable libre of plastic nature, or made of glass wool, or any other well known substance which provides an insulating characteristic between the inner and outer walls o-f the housing.

The said housing, as shown in the drawings, includes top and bottom walls and the opposed side and end walls shown.

A pair of spaced upright longitudinally extending first partitions 19, apertured throughout at 20 are arranged centrally within said housing and extend longitudinally between the respective interior front and rear end walls and between the interior top and bottom walls defining the refrigeration chamber, generally indicated at 10, FIG. 2.

In the illustrative embodiment of the invention, the said apertured partitions 19 have outtumed flanges at their respective ends which are secured to portions of the housing as by the fasteners 21, FIG. 2.

A series of parallel spaced second partitions 22, apertured throughout at 23 extend respectively between the one sides of the said rst partitions 19 and the corresponding front and rear walls of the said housing at right angles thereto with their respective flanged ends secured respectively to interior wall portions of the housing and to the said partitions .19', as by the fasteners 24, FIG. 2.

A series of horizontally disposed platforms 25 are arranged in vertically spaced relation and with the said partitions 19 and 22 define a series of longitudinally spaced refrigeration compartments 26 which are arranged in vertical rows on both sides of the housing, as best illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4.

The respective front and rear walls of the housing have openings cut therethrough in registry with each of the refrigeration compartments 216, and the normally closed spring-biased hinged doors 27 interposed within said openings hinged to the said housing as at 28 and incorporating in each of the said hinges a spring means 29 normally urging the door to the closed position shown in the drawing.

Accordingly, a hinged door corresponds with and registers with each of the said refrigeration, or storage compartments 26y respectively.

Each of the doors 27 has mounted thereon a coin operated locking means, generally designated at 30 including the lock 3d, latch 32 and the latch receiving plates 33 respectively secured to the outer wall of the said housing. The lock is adapted to receive removable key 34, shown in FIG. 4.

Each of the locks 30 includes a suitable timer, the construction and detail which forms no part of the present invention and accordingly a detailed description is omitted. It is suffice to say that the said timer includes the coin slot 36 controlling the operation of the said timer and in conjunction with the said timer there is shown a visible indicator or dial at 37 to show the remaining time on the particular lock during which the key 34 will be effective for unlocking the same.

For example, the coin slot 36 may `be adapted to receive a quarter or other denomination of coin, which during the period that the timer is activated and as indicated on the dial 37 is effective to permit withdrawal of the key 34 and its return, as desired. The construction of the timer is such that after the time purchased as been expended, and an indicated on the dial 317, the key 34 will no longer be effective for opening the lock 30 of the door 27.

The primary object of the invention is to provide the coin operated key-controlled lock for each of the doors 27 as a means for .protecting the storage compartments against unauthorized entry and at the same time assuring that storage time is properly paid for by the user.

As the structure of the timing mechanism and the coin control mechanism are items which can be purchased on the open market, these time control mechanisms in conjunction with lock 30 are generally indicated by the numeral 35, shown in FIG. 1, it being contemplated that any type of suitable coin controlled key operated lock may :be employed for the purpose specied.,

Arranged in parallel spaced relation within the refrigeration chamber 1li), as shown in FG. 2, are a series of uprightlongitudinally spaced supports 38 which extend between the top and bottom of the said refrigeration compartment and which have securing means 39, as indicated in FIG. 3 for anchoring the same. Each of the said supports have formed thereinto a series of vertically spaced elongated slots d@ adapted to receive portions of the continuous circuitous refrigeration coil 41 which forms a part of the power operated refrigeration means of the present invention which is primarily indicated generally at 42 yFTG. 3, as including the support housing d3 depending from the bottom wall of the housing and secured thereto as at 44.

Any conventional form of power operated refrigeration means may be employed such as the diagrammatically indicated compressor 45, drivemotor 46, delivery conduit 47, the condenser coils 48, the expansion valve 49 connected to the inlet 5t) of the refrigeration coil 41, said coil at its opposite end returned to the compressor, as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 3.

This is merely one illustrative form. of power operated refrigeration means, without excluding other mechanisms for delivering refrigerant continuously through the coil 41 within the refrigeration chamber 10. In view of the fact that the partitions 19 are apertured throughout at 20, it is seen that yby cooling the refrigeration chamber d 1Q, that cooling is communicated to the respective individual refrigeration compartments 26. f

Having described my invention, reference should now be had to the following claim.

I claim:

A campers refrigeration locker comprising a support platform, forward and rear wheeled axles thereunder, a referigerator locker box thereon, said box having two central parallel longitudinal extending closely adjacent top to bottom end to end partitions dening a narrow central top to bottom end to end compartment; outside opening lockers in said Ibox between said central compartment and the outsides of the box; a cooling coil in said central compartment ranging over its entire extent; and a centrally disposed refrigeration equipment containing box under said central compartment and said platform and between said wheeled axles; said equipment box being narrower and shorter than said locker box and said platform so that its sides are remotely inward from the sides of the locker l'box and platform.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Staclthouse Dec. 20, 1960 

